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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. field — a subject
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. field — farmland
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — a stick
  20. field — for sport
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mug — to rob
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com